A voracious pack-rat, Mark Twain hoarded his readers' letters as did few of his contemporaries. expensive Mark Twain collects two hundred of those letters written via a various cross-section of correspondents from round the world—children, farmers, schoolteachers, businessmen, preachers, railroad clerks, inmates of psychological associations, con artists, or even a former president. it's a targeted and groundbreaking book—the first released selection of reader letters to any author of Mark Twain's time. Its contents come up with the money for an extraordinary and exhilarating glimpse into the sensibilities of nineteenth-century humans whereas revealing the influence Samuel L. Clemens had on his readers. Clemens’s personal and infrequently startling reviews and replies also are included.

R. Kent Rasmussen’s vast learn presents attention-grabbing profiles of the correspondents, whose own tales are usually as attention-grabbing as their letters. starting from gushing fan appreciations and requests for support and suggestion to feedback for writing tasks and stinging criticisms, the letters are packed with perceptive insights, pathos, and unintended yet frequently riotous humor. Many are deeply relocating, quite a lot of are hilarious, a few can be stunning, yet none are boring.

For this publication R. R. Palmer has translated choices from the ample writings of the flexible French political determine and author Marc-Antoine Jullien, weaving them with his personal huge observation into an soaking up narrative of Jullien's existence and occasions. Jullien's hopes and fears for the "progress of humanity" have been regular of some of the French bourgeoisie during this turbulent interval.

The final section of Mark Twain's existence is unfortunately known: Crippled via losses and tragedies, America's maximum slapstick comedian sank right into a deep and sour melancholy. it's also unsuitable. This ebook recovers Twain's ultimate years as they honestly were--lived within the shadow of deception and prejudice, but additionally within the gentle of the author's unflagging power and exuberance.

From the early tales, to the good well known triumphs of the Sherlock Holmes stories and the Professor Challenger adventures, the formidable ancient fiction, the campaigns opposed to injustice, and the Spiritualist writings of his later years, Conan Doyle produced a wealth of narratives. He had a global attractiveness and was once some of the most renowned authors of the age.

There were no fancy clothes or expensive holidays, but there was time to explore neighbouring villages and take short country walks. Tolkien became well known later in life as a private man, content socialising with his close circle of Oxford friends and his family, but in this isolated world he was developing kingdoms in his imagination. A man who cared For someone who was, to look at him, so ordinary, what marked Tolkien out as a lecturer and a public figure around Oxford was his passionate and humane character.

Unfortunately, the house was a drab environment and Beatrice a rather distant presence, and so Ronald and Hilary spent much of their time serving at the Oratory while also immersing themselves in their studies at King Edward’s School. Ronald, in particular, excelled. He came top of the class and built on his early interest and aptitude for languages to show true academic potential. The school, as well as the Oratory, became the true home of the young Tolkien, who would go on to be a lifelong academic and devout Catholic.

Published without permission The books sold well and steadily for many years in hardback, but it wasn’t until a publisher in New York City, Ace Books, printed an unauthorised paperback copy in 1965 that sales really began to take off. Consequent actions by Tolkien, his publishers, and, most remarkably, his growing army of fans in the USA, meant that not only were Ace Books eventually forced to pay Tolkien royalties for every book they had sold, but an authorised paperback took its place on bestseller lists.